Modern sensors and other electronic devices are often mounted within gimbal mechanisms to achieve free movement in multiple axes, which is especially true for many military applications. Transmission cables, such as electrical cable wraps, have been in use for years to carry signals and/or electrical power within a gimbal. Optical instruments, such as ladar heads or telescopes, are becoming increasingly common in gimbal mounted systems. Often, an off-gimbal light source, such as a laser, is used to transmit light via a fiber optic transmission cable to an on-gimbal optical instrument, which may require the fiber optic cable to traverse one or more rotational axes of the gimbal. Fiber optic cables require minimum bend radii to operate within required performance specifications. The minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable depends upon a variety of factors, including the signal handled by the fiber optic cable, the style of the fiber optic cable, and equipment to which the fiber optic cable is connected.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.